NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART: FIFTH DAY –
WHAT ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE?
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE Matthew 25:
34-40 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I was naked and you gave me clothing,
I was sick and you took care of me,
I was in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’
REFLECTION FOR THE FIFTH DAY
God wants our lives to overflow with mercy, love, and compassion — the marks of His kingdom.
As followers of Jesus, we have a choice: respond to unsettling realities in fear and withdraw, or follow Him in responding to the greatest needs of our day with love and hope.
We know that our care for those in need is evidence of a faith that changes the lives of other people. If we serve the poor and oppressed as Jesus did, we can help make fuller lives possible for children and families in need, where our living God works through us to usher in His kingdom of love and justice on earth.
To work towards the end of exploitation, to restore broken lives, to empower communities – as we work towards the building-up of broken lives, so we help God to build His Kingdom on earth.
Love is shown in action. Prayer is good, but prayer which does not lead to action is not real prayer. ‘Love is found in deeds rather than in words’ says Ignatius of Loyola. St John of the Cross tells us: ‘In the evening of life, we will be examined in love.’
TODAY’S PRAYER
Beauty for brokenness,
hope for despair,
Lord, in your suffering world
this is our prayer.
Bread for the children,
justice, joy, peace,
sunrise to sunset,
your kingdom increase!
Shelter for fragile lives,
cures for their ills,
work for all people,
trade for their skills;
land for the dispossessed,
rights for the weak,
voices to plead the cause
of those who can't speak.
God of the poor, friend of the weak, give us compassion we pray:
melt our cold hearts, let tears fall like rain; come, change our love
from a spark to a flame. Graham Kendrick
Teach us, good Lord,
to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to seek
for any reward, save that of knowing
that we do your will.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola
NOVENA PRAYER
Lord Jesus, your Heart is moved with compassion when we are suffering,
when we need your help,
and when we pray for each other.
I ask you to listen to my prayer during this Novena,
(Mention your intention.)
and to grant what is best.
DAILY INVOCATION
Sacred Heart of Jesus,
I place all my trust in you.
